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Joselito Velasquez impresses on Day 4 of the AMBC American Confederation Boxing Championships

August 21, 2015

The second stage of the quarter-finals was held on the fourth competition day of the AMBC American Confederation Boxing Championships, where the winners of the Light Flyweight (49 kg), Bantamweight (56 kg), Light Welterweight (64 kg), Middleweight (75 kg) and Heavyweight (91 kg) matches became guaranteed medallists in Vargas, Venezuela.

All 40 medallists have also secured their quota places for the Doha 2015 AIBA World Boxing Championships.

Bout of the day

Mexico’s Light Flyweight star Joselito Velasquez recently won his second Pan American Games gold medal in Toronto, and took a step closer to another triumph in Venezuela after defeating Colombia’s Central American & Caribbean Games silver medallist Yubergen Martinez in an exceptional bout.

Velasquez opened the contest by utilising his superb movement and dazzlingly fast hands, before Martinez began to infiltrate the open defence of the Mexican in the second round.

With everything to play for in the third frame, it was Velasquez who once again regained momentum, and he edged the punch exchanges in the final three minutes with fizzing combinations regularly hitting the target.

The 22-year-old will now fight Dominican Republic’s Victor Daniel Santillan in the semi-finals.

The fifth Cuban success was achieved by Erislandy Savon, who defeated US Heavyweight Joshua Temple.

Surprise of the day

Ecuador’s London 2012 Olympian Marlo Delgado was not the favourite in his quarter-final battle against Colombia’s defending AMBC American Champion Jorge Luis Vivas, but the 22-year-old Middleweight boxer produced a tactical masterpiece to eliminate Vivas in Venezuela.

Delgado will next battle home star Endry Saavedra in the semi-finals.

The Round-Up

Brazil’s two-time Olympian Robinelson De Jesus Vieira and Argentina’s London 2012 Olympian Alberto Melian competed in a wonderful Bantamweight match, which was narrowly won by the Brazilian via split decision.

Forty guaranteed medalists remain in the competition from the following nations:

Cuba: 10 medals

Venezuela: 8 medals

Mexico: 4 medals

Argentina, Brazil: 3 medals

Canada, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Puerto Rico: 2 medals

Costa Rica, United States of America: 1 medal

Quote of the day

“I had to do my very best and we had to build a smart tactic against Yubergen Martinez, who is not only a strong boxer but a quick one. I was trying to be a hard target for the Colombian boxer, and counter-attacked him as many times I could. It was a good performance, and I am looking forward my next bout in Vargas,” said Mexico Joselito Velasquez.

Tomorrow’s program

The semi-finals will be held on the fifth competition day of the AMBC American Confederation Boxing Championships, where all of the weight classes will be in action.